In recent years, action to reduce greenhouse gases has been promoted in civilian sectors besides in industrial sectors, and structures in which energy is consumed, such as buildings and factories, are required to further conserve energy. However, it is assumed that power consumption inevitably increases in developing countries along with economic development and that power consumption also increases even in developed countries along with the popularization of electric vehicles and the like.
In terms of power supply, power systems have characteristics in that stable operation fails to be achieved unless the amount of power consumption (demand) and the amount of power generation (supply) are constantly balanced. In other words, the balance of supply and demand needs to be constantly maintained. Therefore, it is required to reinforce power generation facilities in accordance with a peak of power consumption and to secure larger supply and demand adjustment reserve capacity.
Securement of demand response capability is expected as an aspect of the supply and demand adjustment reserve capacity. Demand response means reducing power demand instead of increasing power generation to balance supply and demand. By securing capability to reduce power consumption when needed (demand response capability), the capability can contribute to stable operation of power systems as power generation reserve capacity. Furthermore, by managing and integrating reducible power amounts in power consumption of individual customers in units of areas or the like, the demand response capability increases.
Conventionally, there has been developed a technology for predicting power consumption of customers in units of areas to supply target power obtained by subtracting reduction of a fixed ratio as a technology for securing the demand response capability. Examples of the technology for predicting power consumption of customers include a technology for predicting power consumption based on temperature and humidity in the early morning and forecast maximum temperature and a technology for predicting power consumption based on weather information, such as outside air temperature, humidity, and an amount of solar radiation of the following day.
However, because the conventional technology for securing the demand response capability described above fails to reflect an operating plan or the like of each customer closely, target power supplied to customers may possibly be difficult to realize. As a result, the conventional technology problematically fails to provide accuracy expected for reduction in power consumption. Furthermore, in the conventional technology for predicting power consumption described above, accuracy of power consumption depends on accuracy of the weather information (weather forecast). As a result, the conventional technology may possibly fail to provide accuracy expected for forecast of power consumption depending on the weather information to be used.